Broadband and Digital Literacy

Digital Literacy

American Library Association (ALA) Partners with NTIA: Digital Literacy and Workforce Development

From their inception, libraries of all kinds have had the development, promotion, and advancement of literacy at the core of their mission. The American Library Association is pleased to collaborate with the NTIA to support DigitalLiteracy.gov, a new portal that will be an important first step in collecting and sharing class materials, research, and online learning tools that will equip America's citizens with the tools they need to be digitally literate, thus allowing them to compete in a technology-driven world.

EveryoneOn

On March 21, 2013, a 3-year national public service campaign to promote digital literacy is launching, called EveryoneOn.

The program has great potential to raise awareness about the role libraries play in digital learning, and provides a means to extend those services to more citizens of Wisconsin.

EveryoneOn is a national campaign powered by Connect2Compete (C2C), a national nonprofit organization bringing together leaders from communities, the private sector, and leading foundations. Through our programs and the power of technology, we will improve the lives of Americans—regardless of their age, race, geography, income, or education level.

Broadband News and Updates

NTIA Library Projects – Reports and Fact Sheets

In a world where knowledge is power, libraries make everyone more powerful. Public libraries have been able expand Internet access and to contribute to digital literacy training through funding and support from the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP).

Only a portion of these two grants is for libraries. Other beneficiaries include schools, health clinics, community colleges and various government and non-profit buildings. Through a partnership between the Washington State Library and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, $1.5 million was designated as match for public libraries only.

The Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State, partnered with the Northwest Open Access Network (NoaNet), Washington public libraries and government and non-profit entities to secure these two grants.

The results of this effort will reap bountiful harvests in Washington communities across the state. Not only will Washington public libraries be able to serve their communities with faster and more diverse service, but individuals within these communities will benefit by being able to participate effectively in e-government, seek and find jobs, and obtain information that will improve the quality of their lives. These individuals will also gain access to a much wider variety of distance learning and e-learning from within their local community without having to travel to other cities, regions and states to receive the training. There is a strong relationship between the introduction of broadband to communities through libraries and economic development.

Washington Public Libraries Partner to Bring High-Speed Broadband to Rural Communities Throughout Washington

Thanks to assistance from the Washington State Library, Whitman County Library is part of a multimillion dollar, state-wide grant project bringing broadband fiber (and hope) to our isolated small communities. These towns were been left behind in the digital revolution but thanks to the work of the State Library, a whole new world of educational opportunities and equal access to information are on the horizon...

Kristie Kirkpatrick, Whitman County Library District

In August 2010, Washington State's Northwest Open Access Network (NoaNet) was awarded approximately $54.5 million to offer affordable middle-mile broadband service, in addition to the $84.3 million already awarded in March 2010. Both grants are part of the federal broadband stimulus funding administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Broadband Technologies Opportunities Program (BTOP). These are two of several broadband stimulus funding grants awarded in Washington state to support broadband infrastructure development, public computer centers, and implementation of sustainable adoption strategies.

In a world where knowledge is power, libraries make everyone more powerful. Public libraries have been able expand Internet access and to contribute to digital literacy training through funding and support from the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP).

Expanding Internet Access in Washington

The Washington State Library is an absolute life-line for small, rural libraries. They provide technical and financial assistance for all sorts of important services we can pass on to our community...

Erin Krake, Roslyn Public Library

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provided the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) with $4.7 billion to expand access to broadband services in the United States. These funds support the deployment of broadband infrastructure, enhance and expand public computer centers, encourage sustainable adoption of broadband service. Explore the following links to access project fact sheets, reports and documents, and award documents.